friend absolutely terrified of public housing buildings (Madison, Morris: houses, neighborhoods)

[armyofme]

I have a friend who is pretty well off and lives in the UES. She refuses to higher than the 96th st subway station, Queens, the Bronx, and anywhere in Brooklyn that isn't directly across the river. But the thing that scares her the most are the big brown public housing buildings. She will literally not go anywhere within a few blocks of them. One time we were walking past one and she almost started to hyperventilate. So my question is, are a lot of people as afraid of these buildings as she is? From what I hear the ones in Manhattan don't even compare to the ones in the outer boroughs in terms of safety.

[009]

I don't believe it.

What neighborhoods in the outer boroughs has this person gone to?

[mead]

Not such a big deal in my mind unless you're really in the ghetto. The PJs in Kingsbridge/Marble Hill seem pretty tame. Most of the ones I've walked past on the border of Morningside Heights also seemed very calm.

Spanish Harlem is a little bit rough, but just walking past the PJs shouldn't be such a big deal (walking into the PJs might be a different story, especially on a friday night).

[SeventhFloor]

Originally Posted by armyofme

I have a friend who is pretty well off and lives in the UES. She refuses to higher than the 96th st subway station, Queens, the Bronx, and anywhere in Brooklyn that isn't directly across the river. But the thing that scares her the most are the big brown public housing buildings. She will literally not go anywhere within a few blocks of them. One time we were walking past one and she almost started to hyperventilate. So my question is, are a lot of people as afraid of these buildings as she is? From what I hear the ones in Manhattan don't even compare to the ones in the outer boroughs in terms of safety.

to answer your question, no....a lot of people are not as afraid of these buildings as she is.

[SuperMario]

The ones in Manhattan are just as bad as any in the other boroughs. Public Housing is Public Housing no matter if it's in Brooklyn or Staten Island. I personally felt uncomfortable as **** in the Morris Houses, but that is probably because I have not been to many. People are fearful of public housing, but not to the extent of your friend.

[KRaZy]

Originally Posted by mead

Not such a big deal in my mind unless you're really in the ghetto. The PJs in Kingsbridge/Marble Hill seem pretty tame. Most of the ones I've walked past on the border of Morningside Heights also seemed very calm.

Spanish Harlem is a little bit rough, but just walking past the PJs shouldn't be such a big deal (walking into the PJs might be a different story, especially on a friday night).

Nah....nothin goin on at the PJs I went to. Madison & 106th st. pretty lame...the other ones...I don't know...a few like the one on 112th I guess are a lil different. But please that girl has some issues.

[Guywithacause]

The PJs are not nearly as bad as they used to be, nonetheless I make it a point to walk on the opposite side of the street if possible, and rarely if ever walk throug them if I can avoid it. Other than that, I would say that if you have lived in this city for any length of time, people don't really pay the projects mind, except to avoid them of course..which is a good pratice overall. I live directly across the street from big brown towering housing projects, and to say they were not intimidating would be untrue, however they are just big ugly buildings stuffed with alot of people I prefer to avoid for the most part...but I do just fine so long as you stay out of them I think.

[Rachael84]

I come from Long Island, so I never really experienced walking near projects my whole life. I have tons of family in the city who I regularly visited, so I probably didn't recognize projects anyway if they lived fairly close to them when I was little. But yeah, I interviewed last summer all over the Bronx for teaching positions. I started to learn if I was walking near a project. I was never afraid of them though. There were a couple times in Morningside heights and the south Bronx where I had to walk through them to get to the school in order to get to the interview on time, and I never had a problem. A whole lot of 20-somethings with nothing better to do hanging around, but no one said anything to me (i'm 23/f, skinny and white, btw). I'm cautious though, of course. I try not to walk on the same side of them. It was just those 2 instances where I got lost trying to find the school and was rushing to make it in time.

[Guywithacause]

Agreed with that statement Rachael.

[Moth]

Buy her some DVDs and do an afternoon of "Clockers" and "The Wire."